At the border of Panchal and Kuru Kingdoms there were cries heard. Few people who had bags in their hands snatched things from others or just pushed them away to take that things. Few of them were beating the people who tried to stop them. Just as they collected the last bag and were about to leave two arrows shot from each side and stopped their tracks.
The two who shot the arrows were surprised to the second one. Advika didn't mind and started shooting more forming a circle around the group of Bandits. Karna who watched from the sidelines then shot the arrows at the bandits hands from which the bags fell. Advika and Karna looked at each other surprised.
They couldn't see their faces as they were masked but we're surprised at the similar thinking. They then proceeded to shoot the bandits until they wer injured and couldn't run. A few of them escaped to inform their other peers.
Their bandit group was really big and only a small part of them were there in the village. Meanwhile Advika proceeded to tie them up while Karna gave the bags back to the villagers who thanked them both. Advika turned around only to find herself face to face with the mysterious stranger.
He spoke "Can I know who you are?" Advika looked at him and shook her head and turned to leave when another group of Bandits came. Again they both fought with the bandits. While Advika was fighting with one another one sneaked behind her. By the time she realised his sword was already swing towards her.
Karna pulled her away but the sword touched her and the cloth which she tied around her face tore. The cloth flew away and her hair fell down and her face was seen. For a moment all fighting stopped as they realised that this warrior was a woman.
Suddenly a bandit near Karna came forward and pulled off Karna's mask. Karna didn't notice the bandit as he was busy staring at shock at Advika.When his mask was pulled off he came back to his senses.
Advika looked at Karna and was mesmerized for a second. She had never seen such a handsome man who literally glowed. She came out of her stupor when she heard the bandit saying "You -you are the pr-" before he could complete the sentence Karna knocked him unconscious still staring at Advika.
Advika stared confused at him. The bandits again started attacking and Advika turned around to continue the fight. After about fifteen minutes the fight ended and Advika sighed and nodded towards Karna and went away. Karna stood still looking at her retreating figure, shook his head and he too went away with the bandits to punish them.
~â¢~
Advika sat in the room in the Panchal palace where she was staying. Drupad loved her equally with his daughters and had no problem with her staying in Panchal. She was waiting for Devika, Valandhara, Karenumati and Vijaya to come. Advika invited them to introduce them to Draupadi and Saagarika who came with her to Panchal to visit her family.
She thought about the man she saw that morning. She felt a sense of familiarity with him but didn't understand where it came from. She left those thoughts when the princesses came. Draupadi and Saagarika were delighted to meet them.
They all spent the few days together and soon they were thick as thieves.
Advika's thoughts going back to the man how much ever she diverted herself. She wondered about who he was , what the bandit was about to say before he was knocked down and when she will meet him again. Advika was startled at the last thought and decided to stop thinking about him altogether.